Miniature speedway device



Dec. 22, 1942. 1 FERNANDEZ MINIATURE SPEEDWAY DEVICE Filed June 13, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l //////////kNf//r/// ///K///////////////// f/r//r/f//f/r f///r///://///////////rf/rr//rr/ rr/f//r//r rrr /f/r/f/r U I Ill l| |||llllll lll N A w wmhlb W.

Dec. 22, 1942.

L.. FERNANDEZ MINIATURE SPEEDWAY DEVICE Filed 'June 16, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Loza/5 @fname/eff BY l l Dec. 22, 1942. L.. FERNANDEZ y 2,306,049

' MINIATURE sPEEDwAY DEVICE I Filed Julie 15, 1940 s sheets-sheet a l if 25 v J0 58 28 i l i f A s r Patented Dec. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

The present invention relates to the art of miniature racing cars, and more particularly to a speedway device for such cars.

Hitherto most of the self-propelled miniature cars have been raced on a course, while held captive to a post in the center of said course. With this method, only one car at a time can be raced and each run must be timed independently. Since the winner of the race can be determined only after a comparison of the time records of the respective cars, the spectators miss the thrill of competition attending the simultaneous racing of the cars.

The usual miniature cars of the self-propelled type are required to be thrown, pulled or otherwise catapulted at the beginning of their run to prevent stalling of their motors. During this launching action, the car may be violently bounced and so jarred as to damage its comparatively delicate mechanism.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved multiple track speedway of such construction as to permit the simultaneous racing of a number of miniature cars thereon.

Another object is to provide a new and improved speedway device, which guides the miniature racing car along a predetermined course while maintaining said car in stable equilibrium against the possibility of tilting, especially when going around curves.

Another object is to provide a new and improved speedway track device,'which eilectively holds the car against derailment even at high speeds, but which nevertheless permits easy and expeditious mounting of the car in operative position on the track or easy removal therefrom;

Another object is to provide a new and im.

proved speedway device, by which the miniature racing car can be smoothly and eifectively launched with a minimum of jarring action on said car.

Various other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in Which- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a section of the speedway device, embodying the present invention, and showing a miniature racing car in the process of being launched; V

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, but shown on a larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a section similar to that of Fig. 3,

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but showing the car after being launched and while it is in tractive engagement with the track;

Fig. 5 shows a truck adapted to be attached to the racing car for guiding and launching pur'- poses, and embodyingv certain features of the present` invention; f

Fig. 6 is a'perspective of the car launchingsectionv of one lof the` rail members;

Fig. V'I is a top plan View of a section ofthe multiple track speedway course; Y

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of 'a modified for of truck adapted to be attached to the racing car for guiding and launching purposes, and embodying certainadditional features' of the present invention; Y

Fig. 9 is a side view of the modified form of truckshown in Fig. 8; and Y Fig., 10 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but embodying'the modied form of truck shown in Fig. 8.

vThe miniature'car I0 used in conjunction with the speedway device of the present invention is desirably ofthe standard model type, self-propelled by a gasoline motor and provided with the-usual tire wheels Il. For the purpose of the present invention, it is immaterial whether the car has a frontv wheel or rear wheel drive, since both sets of wheels are out of tractive engagement with the tracksduring the launching operation as will be made apparent. l

The speedway desirably comprises a plurality of parallel adjoining tracks I2 of oval or circular shape, arranged in encircling relationship as shown in Fig. 7, and supported on a suitable foundation I3. Each track comprises a pair of transversely spaced parallel rail members It and I5 in the form of angle irons, having .depending flanges or webs I6 and I1 respectively, serving as guide rails for the car, and horizontal anges or webs I8 and I9 respectively, serving as the traction rails. 'Ihe two rail members Ill and I5 are desirably arranged to face in the -same direction, so that the inside rail member I5 has its dependingguide flange I'I on the inside rim of the track, and the outside rail member I has its guide flange I6 depending from the in-v ner side of its traction flange I 8.

The tracks I2 may be constructed preferably in sections, which are collapsible when disassembled, so as to permit packing into -a relatively small compact unit that will facilitate handling and transporting from place to place where such races are to be conducted from time to time.

A truck 22 for guiding and launching the car car, and desirably comprises an open frame 23 of light metal construction such as aluminum. In the specic form shown, this frame 23 includes a pair of parallel bars 24 and 25, interconnected at their ends by a pair of transverse bars 28 to form a rigid rectangular open structure. Extending from and rigid with the inner side of this rectangular frame structure 23 at each end is a. triangular truss 21. Mounted on vertical axes on the outer side of the frame 23 near the ends of the bar 24 for riding engagement with the guide rail I6 is a pair of tire wheels 28, and similarly mounted on the apices of the trusses 21 for riding engagement with the guide rail I1 is a pair of tire wheels 38. A fifth wheel 3|, supported' on' the truck frame 23 and mounted on a horizontal axis, is desirably provided for riding engagement with the underside of the rail I9 when the In order toy detachably secure the truck 22 tov the underside of the car I0, said car has secured to each side of its chassis a pair of angular brackets 35, provided with horizontal foot anges 36, and the two bars 24 and 25 of, thetruck frame have rigid therewith four upstanding brackets 31, which are relatively positioned to correspond to the position of the brackets 35,l and which terminate at their upper ends in outwardly extending flanges 38. f

In attaching thef car I0 tothe truck 22, the foot anges 36 of the car brackets 35 are seated on the corresponding'iianges 38 of the truck brackets 31, and are detachably secured theretov by suitable bolts 3,9 passing through openings 40 and 4I in said iianges. These openings 48 and 4I are desirably elongated with the upper ones extending cross-wise of the lower ones to compensate for any slight variations in the positions of the brackets 35 due to. differences in the constructions of the cars.

Means are provided for supporting the car I0 in elevated position with its wheels Il above the traction rails I8 and I9 for launching operations.-

This means desirably includes runners, preferably in the form of horizontal rollers 43, four being shown, mounted on and extending outwardly from the brackets 31 respectively. In order to support these rollers 43 during car launching operations,

overhanging extensions 44 and 45 are provided on the traction rails I8 and I9 respectively along a car is being launched as shown in Fig; 3, and isless than the width of the space between the traction rails I8 and I9 along the racing or mainA course of the track asvshown in Fig. 4 to. permit said rollers 43 to drop between the rails when the` car reaches said main course.'

When the rollers 43 rest on the traction and its drive wheels rotating without frictional tractive stalling interference from the. traction rail exftensions 44 and 45 as shown in Fig. 3, the car |81 will be in elevated position with the wheels |I spaced above the tractionY rails I.8 andi I9. Ini this position of the, car, its motor will be running,-

rails I8 and I9. Whileinthis position,the.car I0 76 is given an impulse either by hand or through some suitable catapult device to urge the car I0 forwardly. When the car reaches beyond the end A of the overhanging or launching section of the track, the distance between the traction rails I8 and I9 is wide enough as already described to cause the rollers 43 to fall downwardly therebetween below the plane of the traction rails I8 and I9, and the car I0 is permitted to drop into the position shown in Fig. 4 with its wheels II resting on said traction rails. In this lowered position, the car I0, due to the catapult impulse imparted thereto, can continue its movement under its own tractive power.

vAfter the car has made approximately one lap, the rollers 43, entering the launching section of the track at point B, will ybe riding below the plane of the traction rails I8 and I9 as already described, and will not interfere therefore with the continued racing movement of the car I8 under its own power for as many successive laps as is desired.

The car can be stopped lby any suitable means well-known inthe art. For instance, a flag at the stopping section of the track may trip a projecting ignition control lever on the car to shut o its motive power.

It should be noted that the center of gravity of the truck 22 is below the center of gravity of the car I0 and below its traction plane. The centrifugal tendency of the car to tilt counter-clockwise about its left wheels II (Fig. 4) as it races around the curves is thereby counterbalanced by the stabilizing weight of the truck 22 in rounding said curves.

Furthermore, since the center of gravity of the truck is to 'the right of the center of gravity of the car (Fig. 4) due to the eccentric mounting of the two sets of guide wheels 28 and 39 with respect to the medial vertical plane of said car, this stabilizing effect of the truck 22 against centrifugal tilting of the car is enhanced.

Even assuming that the car does tilt in going around curves, the tilting will be counterclockwise about the left hand set of wheels I I (Fig. 4) The set of guide wheels 28 will not move upwardly any substantial distance during this tilting action, while the traction rail I9, acting as a limiting stop against the upward movement of the other set of guide wheels 30 will prevent deraihnent of the car. If the car I0 tilts too far, the supplemental guide wheel 3l will come into play to engage the underside of the traction rail I9, and ride therealong.

In Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, there is shownl a modified embodiment of the invention, wherein the' truck 22A, which is identical inconstruction with the truck 22- of Fig. 5 except for the manner of mounting the supplemental or fifth wheel 3I-A. In this modiication, a horizontal shaft 48 is rotatably mounted in brackets 58 and 52 transversely of the frame 22-A intermediate its ends. A crank arm 54 extends at right angles from one end of the shaft 48, and has a crank shaft 56 projecting outwardly and horizontally therefrom upon which is rotatably mounted the supplemental or fth wheel-3 I-A. The opposite end of the shaft 48 is provided with a crank arm 58 which extends obliquely forwardly approximately 'at an angle of 454 'with respect to the crank arm 54. One en'd of a spring 68 is iixedlyattached as indicated at 62,` to the end of the crank arm 58 and has its opposite end secured to thebar 24 at a spaced distance forwardly thereof as indicated at 64. A' stop66 is integrally formed cwith the bracket 52, which r limits movement of the crank shaft 56 in one direction, which is backwardly of the truck Z22- A. The spring 60 urges'the crank shaft 56 against the stop 6d at all times when the wheel 3I-A is not under pressure, which position is shown best in Fig. 10. When the pressure is exerted on the wheel 3 l-A by the engaging track I9, as when the car is rounding a curve, the wheel 3 l--A will be pressed downwardly against its spring urging tension so that even when the car I ll does tilt in going around curves, its tires i l will remain at all times in contact with the tracks i8 and I3.

In the operation of the device, the guide truck 22 is first positioned between the two rail members I4 and I5. This may be accomplished by either assembling the truck 22 between the rail members I4 and i5, or if the truck is already assembled, it may be lowered obliquely between the two rail members I4 and l5 at the widened section of the track and moved onto the launching sections until the rollers 43 seat upon the overhanging rail extensions fill and 5. The truck 22' is now ready to have the car i@ mounted thereon by seating the foot flanges 36 on the corresponding flanges 38 thereof, and attaching said flanges 35 and 38 rigidly together by suitable bolts 3S. The car lil can then be launched as already described.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, any many apparently widely diiferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A track device for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a track having a launching section and a main course section along its length, means adapted to be secured to said vehicle for guiding said vehicle along said track, and means carried by said guide means for supporting said vehicle in elevated position along said launching section with the wheels thereof out of tractive engagement with said track, said guide means and said supporting means permitting said vehicle to drop to bring its wheels into tractive engagement with said track when said vehicle reaches said main course section.

2. A track device for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a track having a launching section and a main course section along its length,A

said launching track section having launching runway means therealong, and means adapted to be mounted on said vehicle for movement therewith and extending in position to ride over said runway means, to support said vehicle in elevated position along said tracking section with the wheels thereof out of tractive engagement with said track, said runway means being absent from said main course section to permit said vehicle to drop to bring its wheels into tractive engagement with said track automatically when said vehicle reaches said main course section.

3. A miniature track device for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a track having a launching section and a main course section movement therewith, and in position to ride on said runways respectively to support said vehicle in elevated position along said launching section with the wheels thereof out of tractive engagement with said track, said runways terminating at the beginning of the main course section to permit said vehicle to drop to bring its wheels into tractive engagement with said track when said vehicle reaches said main course section.V

4. A miniature trackdevice for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a track having a launching section and a main course section along its length, said track including a pair of parallel spaced rail members, and a pair of spaced runways secured to said rail members respectively along the launching section thereof, and runners adapted to be mounted on said vehicle for movement with said Vehicle, and in position to initially ride on said runways respectively when mounted thereon to support said vehicle in elevated position along said launching section with the wheels thereof out of tractive engagement with said track, said runways terminating at the beginning of the main course section to permit said vehicle to drop to bring its wheels into tractive engagement with said track when said vehicle reaches said main course section, said runners being adapted to pass under said runways when said vehicle passes over said runways with its wheels in tractive engagement with said track. Y

5. A track device for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a track having a launching section and a main course section along its length, said track including a pair of parallel spaced members provided respectively with traction rails, said rails overhanging inwardly along said launching section to form launching runways, and runners adapted to be mounted on said vehicle for movement with said vehicle, and in position to ride on said runways respectively to support said vehicle in elevated position along said launching section with the wheels thereof out of tractive engagement with said track, said runways terminating at the beginning of the main course section to permit said vehicle to drop to bring its wheels into tractive engagement with said track when said vehicle reaches said main course section.

6. A track device for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a track having a launching section and a main course section along its length, said track including a pair of parallel spaced rail members, each in the form of an angle iron with one horizontal flange serving as a traction rail, and the other substantially vertical flange serving as a guide rail for said vehicle, said traction rails overhanging inwardly along said launching section to form launching runways, and runners adapted to be mounted on said vehicle for movement with said vehicle, and in position to ride on said runways respectively to support said vehicle in elevated position along said launching section with the wheels thereofV out of tractive engagement with said track, said runways terminating at the beginning of the main course section to permit said vehicle to drop to bring its wheels into tractive engagement with said track when said vehicle reaches said main course section.

7. A track device for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a track having a launching section and a main course section along its length, said track including a Pair of parallel spaced rail members, each in the form of an angle iron with one horizontal flange serving as .altrao'tion rail and the other substantially vertical flange serving as a-guide rail :for said vehicle, said traction rails overhanging inwardly along said launching section lto form .launching runways, a guide member mounted on said vehicle .-and having guide wheels riding along said guide'rails, and runners supported on said guide member in position to rideon said runways to supportsaid vehicle -in elevated position .along said launch- -ing section with the wheelsthereof out .of tractive engagement with said track, said runners being dimensioned 4to drop between said rail members when said .vehicle reaches said -main course section to lpermit said vehicle to correspondingly drop 4to /bringits wheels into tractive engagement with said track.

8..A 'track device for a kminiature wheeled vehicle comprising a track, having a launching section and a main .course .section along its length, said launching track section 4comprising a pair `of spaced substantially vhorizontal runways, means vadapted .to besecured to the underside of said vehicle for guiding said vehicle along said track, and rollers 'supported on said guid- .ing means and mounted on substantially horizontal axes, said `rollers being mounted in position to ride on said .runways to support said vehicle in Velevatedposition with .the wheels thereof out of tractive engagement with .said track along said launching section, said .runway being absent kfrom said vmain course section to permit said vehicle to drop to bring its wheels into tractive engagement with said track when .said vehicle reaches said main course section.

9. A track for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a .pair of transversely spaced ,traction rails having inward extensions only along f a section of the length thereof to receive means ,adapted to support the vehicle in .elevated position with its wheels out of tractive engage# nient "with rsaid rails for launching operations.

10. A track for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a pair of transversely spaced traction rails having inward extensions along only a section of the length thereof, and runners attached to said vehicle for movement therewith and positioned to ride along said rail extensions, the maximum distance between the outer sides of said runners across said vehicle being less than the distance between the rails beyond said track section, to permit said runners to drop downwardly between said rails when said vehicle reaches said section.

1l. A track for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a pair of transversely spaced substantially parallel angle irons, each having a substantially horizontal flange dening a traction rail, and a substantially vertical flange dening a guide rail, and a runway secured vto each of said irons only along a section thereof for supporting the vehicle in elevated position with its traction wheels above said traction rails for launching operations.

12. A track for a miniature wheeled vehicle comprising a pair of transversely spaced parallel angle irons, each having a substantially horizontal flange defining a traction rail, and a substantially vertical flange defining a guide rail, each of said traction rails having an inward extension along only a section of the length thereof dening a runway for supporting the vehicle in elevated position with the wheels thereof out of tractive engagement with said traction rails for launching operations.

LOUIS FERNANDEZ. 

